Mental health is often overlooked and neglected. You may not even realise you are doing it; perhaps through long nights spent working, or through constant dismissals that ‘everyone has bad days’ and ‘it’s okay to be tired all the time when you’re working so hard.’ Does this sound familiar?
Your mind is what makes you you. Obtaining a healthy mindset shouldn’t be ignored and can lead to negative consequences down the line. It’s essential to take control of your mental health, and therefore, your own positive life.
Look After Yourself
An optimistic mindset stems from making all the right decisions in your self-care. You need to make conscious decisions to eat healthily and get enough exercise. The latter doesn’t have to mean hours spent at the gym to stay in shape – it can mean gentle exercise such as a peaceful evening walk or perhaps an hour spent doing yoga or meditation. Choose an activity which works for you and which you enjoy. After all, if you don’t enjoy your chosen activity, you won’t want to do it. Eating sluggishly and consuming junk will only leave you feeling less than your best, and this can take a toll on your mental health and motivation.
Know Your Limits
If you know that agreeing to do another overtime shift again is going to make you feel miserable, don’t do it. If you’ve made the effort to socialise an extreme amount in a short space of time and you simply don’t have the energy to do it again for a while, that’s okay too. Don’t push the boundaries of what your mental health can cope with. It’s okay to say no sometimes, and taking the time to understand better how far you can go with something before it takes a toll on your mind means you will know better when to stop.
Extinguish Negative Relationships
If any relationship in your life is making you feel low and aggrieved, whether this a romantic relationship, family relationship, or a friendship, then you shouldn’t be in it. It can be very difficult to make the steps to remove yourself from an abusive or negative relationship, but for the good of your mental health, you should do so as soon as possible. Seek the support and help of people who do care about you to make the transition easier. You should pay attention to the signs of negativity when they arise.
If you are left feeling low or depressed due to a bad relationship, don’t hesitate to seek professional help, such as igniteteentreatment.com.
Make Time for You
The key to good mental health is making time for the things which you love. You may feel social pressure to meet obligations and socialise with people during your free time, but it’s also crucial to spend time alone, too. This way you can explore hobbies and pastimes which make you happy, and it can help to refresh and revitalise you.
You should also make plans to go on holiday or take a trip from time to time, to recharge your batteries.